I should begin with a confession. I am not a fan of tennis. No matter how epic the contest, the game bores me. I prefer team sports over individual games. So even yesterday's fantastic final left me a little cold. How many aces can you watch? For how many minutes can you remain transfixed watching a ball travel backwards and forwards over a net? In my case, two sets was ample, from that point on I only had half an eye on proceedings and at one point I think I had a fifteen minute nap.
Nevertheless, I recognise that yesterday's Wimbledon Men's Final was one of those great moments in sport, one of those special occasions when a David takes on a Goliath and slugs it out, toe to toe, until the bitter end - just like the Greatest Cup Final ever. Roddick's efforts were incredible but so were Ferderer's. Here were two supreme athletes giving their all and displaying fantastic sportsmanship into the bargain.
Contrast the after match interviews with what happens in football. The mutual respect and humility of the two guys was a lesson to us all. Compare that with the crass, in your face, celebrations of the Brazilians after their 3-2 victory over the USA in the Confederations Cup. No handshake for the opponents, no respect for their feelings, just group hugs all round, with Brazilian players running past their valiant and heartbroken opponents to hug friends on the bench. Federer could have hugged his coach or wife, but instead he respected his opponent. Look at Roddick and the way he handled beating Murray. By paying such a glowing tribute to the man he had beaten, he won our hearts and guaranteed the British support in the Final. That wasn't strategy, that was honesty and because he is a thoroughly decent guy.
Remember back to that epic Cup Final and to the number of players suffering cramp. It would appear from yesterday that footballers could learn something about fitness from these tennis players. I think we could also learn something about how to settle a drawn game. Well done to Wimbledon for rejecting the equivalent of the penalty shoot out to decide the final set of the Final. At one point I thought the game might never end but that just added to the drama. The penalty shoot out should be consigned to history; if scores are still level after the 30 minutes extra time, I favour a seven a side contest, the first scorer wins,
6 comments:
I had a thought yesterday and i kept it in my head. Here's a thought Hammersfan...
i'm sorry, this may sound ignorant and what not, but football is football. I am always hearing rugby fans calling footballers sissies because they aren't 20 stone and made of brick. Tennis is not football either, yes their stamina may seem better, but they are covering a smaller distance, particularly in yesterdays final as their were so many aces.
There are certainly improvements to be made in football, but lets not adopt so much from other sport that football becomes fugby or tenball. The diving that happens in football is from a small group (which has been halved thanks to the departure of Ronaldo)
I think Federer is brilliant, but did you see his nonchelance when giving the interview, is he that different from Berbatov? Or perhaps his over-confidence in having '15' stitched on his jumper before the game.
ah you didnt post my piss take of your blog - why?
1514 because it wasn't worth posting I guess. Same old same old.
You should put the piss takes up. because it's getting very quiet in here.
I will put up anything witty but not the same old garbage. It is pretty quiet everywhere. Not much to say at the moment is there?
Post a Comment